The royal family is set to mark Christmas Day together at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, continuing a cherished tradition for the House of Windsor. The gathering is expected to see a significant number of relatives come together for the festive occasion.
A Full House for Festive Celebrations
The Prince of Wales revealed last year that he would be spending the day with 45 members of his family "all in one room," indicating the scale of the traditional get-together. However, the guest list this year notably excludes the Duke of York, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York.
The former prince remains banished from working royal life and was stripped of his military affiliations and royal patronages in the wake of the scandal surrounding his association with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has recently been back in the headlines following the latest document releases related to Epstein, though he continues to vehemently deny any wrongdoing.
Traditional Christmas Day at the Norfolk Estate
The royal family's Christmas Day routine is famously traditional. On the morning of Thursday 25 December 2025, the family will typically walk to the nearby church of St Mary Magdalene for a Christmas service. This public appearance offers a glimpse of the family during the holidays.
Afterwards, they will return to Sandringham House to enjoy a classic Christmas lunch, believed to be a roast turkey with all the customary trimmings. The afternoon will then see the family sit down together to watch the King's annual Christmas broadcast on television, a ritual observed by millions across the nation and the Commonwealth.
A Message of Gratitude and Family Harmony
Last year, in his first Christmas address as monarch, King Charles III paid a heartfelt tribute to the "selfless" doctors and nurses who supported him and the Princess of Wales during their cancer treatments. He praised the medical teams for providing "strength, care and comfort" during a challenging period for the family.
The Christmas celebrations follow the broadcast of a pre-recorded piano duet by the Princess of Wales and her daughter, Princess Charlotte. The mother-and-daughter performance, for Kate's 'Together at Christmas' carol concert, featured a piece by Scottish composer Erland Cooper. Recorded last week, it aired on ITV1 on Christmas Eve.
For the Wales family, this festive season marks a period of positive change. The family of five recently moved into their new eight-bedroom "forever home," Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park. This move is widely viewed as a fresh start following a difficult 2024, which William described as "brutal," and the Princess of Wales's recovery after announcing her cancer diagnosis at the start of 2025.
While the Waleses will spend the wider festive period at their new home, they will travel to join the wider family at the Norfolk royal residence for Christmas Day itself.
